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ST. GEORGE — Brian Beckstrand and his 15-year-old son, Kai Beckstrand, made American Ninja Warrior history in Monday night's episode by being the first father and son to hit the buzzer on the NBC show.
The father and son duo were featured in the popular television show which displays a challenging obstacle course that contestants must complete. Kai Beckstrand and Brian Beckstrand were in the fifth episode of Season 13 of the show.
Kai Beckstrand has competed in the show before, being featured in the first seasons of the kids' version of the show, winning the first and placing fourth in the second season. Kai Beckstrand's parents, Holly and Brian Beckstrand, have also competed on the show prior to this season.
The Beckstrand family built an obstacle course in their backyard and frequently practice with and compete against each other there.
"One of the reasons Kai is so good at this sport is because he started at such a young age," Brian Beckstrand said in the show. "He's just a natural at it."
Kai Beckstrand had the best time of the night, completing the course in 1 minute, 36 seconds. Brian Beckstrand followed his son with a time of 3:23.
The competition between the father and son only became possible after the show recently lowered the minimum age limit to 15 years old. Several other teens competed in the episode as well, many being mentored by previous contestants.
"It feels amazing, just even to be here," Kai Beckstrand said in the episode following his win.
The father and son both will continue to compete in Los Angeles after moving onto the semifinals. If the duo moves into the finals, they'll have to complete four stages in Las Vegas. The winner of American Ninja Warrier will receive a top prize of $1 million dollars.
